Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 19

Cao’er’s mother wakes up early, as she always does. She opens her eyes before dawn, and once she’s awake, she can’t fall back asleep. She has to get up and work.

Although the supermarket isn’t dirty, those used to working feel uncomfortable all over when they’re idle.

She doesn’t wake up alone but turns around and calls out to Cao’er and the others.

Except for a few children, the adults are already awake.

The female employees put on their coats and lift their curtains. They have clear divisions of labor, each assigned an area to clean.

The two oldest elderly people stay in the warehouse to watch over the children, while the others find work to do—even if there’s nothing much.

The children have regained their energy. Compared to the adults, they recover faster and are braver.

If left unsupervised, they run around everywhere. If they run out of the supermarket and get lost in the woods, it would be disastrous.

The women go to wash up one by one. Their hair has grown a lot—at least they’re no longer bald.

It would be a lie to say they don’t care about their hair.

If not for the Immortal’s command—and the fear of being driven out—they would never have cut it so cleanly.

A head of hair—can it really compare to one’s life?

“What are we having for breakfast this morning?” the women ask, smiling as they gather.

Cao’er’s mother, now familiar with them and no longer wearing a stern expression all the time, says, “I’m too lazy to cook. We’ll have bread for breakfast, with two sausages and an egg for each person.”

The children cheer, “Sausages!”

“Sausages are delicious!”

They laugh and make noise, their voices so loud it seems like they might break through the sky.

The adults scold them a little, and the children quickly quiet down, though they all look at Cao’er’s mother with eager eyes.

Even though the sausages are mostly starch, neither the children nor the adults feel they’re worse than meat—just a little less fatty.

But now they have oily food at every meal, so they’re no longer as eager for fatty meat.

The female employees finish cleaning and walk into the supermarket sales area with linen mops. They’re still smiling—until they freeze in their tracks.

They can’t help but widen their eyes as they stare at the girl standing next to the shelf, looking at her like she’s a monster.

The layers of black skirts frame her pale, bloodless skin. Her light golden curly hair glows faintly under the light—more silver than blonde.

She’s holding a fake rose in one hand, tiptoeing to reach the chocolate on the top shelf.

“Monster…” one employee trembles, stepping back.

They’ve lived in the countryside for generations, seeing only fields and mountains. They’ve hardly encountered other people, let alone foreigners.

Even Cao’er’s mother, who prides herself on being the most knowledgeable, can’t stop herself from trembling in that moment.

It feels like even time freezes—

Until the girl notices them.

She turns her head, her red eyes reflecting the faces of the female employees. There’s no childish innocence in her gaze.

If she moves now, the employees will scatter in fear.

“Monster! Monster!” someone finally screams.

They forget completely that this is a supermarket—the Immortal’s cave.

The employees rush toward the warehouse—their families are still in there!

The only one who doesn’t move is Cao’er’s mother. She stands frozen, staring blankly at the girl.

It’s not that she doesn’t want to run—her legs have gone weak. She can’t move.

Sarah watches the women flee with a puzzled expression.

She doesn’t think she looks strange. Sure, her skin is a bit pale, but aren’t some humans that shade too?

As for her hair—yes, it’s a bit light, but still blonde. Nothing too unusual.

“Why are they running?”

Sarah finally reaches the box of chocolates, opens it, and walks over to Cao’er’s mother.

She pulls out one piece and holds it out toward her.

She doesn’t eat it—just unwraps one to sniff its scent.

Cao’er’s mother, still dazed, doesn’t reach out or respond.

“Y-You stay away from my mother!”

Cao’er comes running back, holding a fruit knife, its tip pointed directly at Sarah.

Her whole body trembles, but she still grips the handle tightly and shouts with all her might, “Stay away from my mother! Monster!”

Sarah looks at her in confusion. “Monster? You’re saying I’m a monster?”

Sarah rests her chin on her hand and nods thoughtfully. “Well, humans do usually call us that. But he never called me that,” she adds, suddenly recalling something that seems to make her happy.

She smiles at Cao’er. “Do you want some chocolate?

By the way, my name is Sarah,” she introduces herself. “What’s yours?”

Sarah continues, “I’m the new bodyguard. I’ll be working here from now on.”

The word “working” helps Cao’er’s mother snap out of it. Her fear slowly settles.

—This is the Immortal’s cave. No matter what kind of monsters they are, none can defeat the Immortal.

This blonde, high-nosed “monster” in front of her must’ve been caught by the Immortal to work and atone for something!

Or maybe this “monster” is a good one and was saved by the Immortal.

Cao’er’s mother is still trembling, but she summons her courage and says to Sarah, “If you’re the same as us, then you shouldn’t be taking things off the shelves.”

Sarah glances at the chocolate in her hand and blinks. “I took the cheapest one. Let the boss deduct it from my salary.”

Perhaps because the conversation feels so casual, Cao’er’s mother’s sense of responsibility finally overcomes her fear.

She swallows and, putting on a stern face, says, “Taking something without asking is stealing! Even if it’s paid for later, you still have to inform the Lord Immortal first!”

Sarah stands still, silent. After a long pause, she meets Cao’er’s mother’s gaze and says, “I was wrong. I apologize. It won’t happen again.”

Cao’er walks up to her mother’s side. Seeing her mother’s serious and upright demeanor, she suddenly feels an inexplicable confidence.

Her mother is the mortal the Lord Immortal values most. Of course she isn’t afraid of monsters.

As her daughter, she has no reason to be afraid either.

What’s more, this “monster” just got scolded by her mother.

She’s being treated the same as everyone else—so clearly, there’s nothing to fear.

“What kind of monster are you?” Cao’er can’t help but ask, curious.

Sarah answers honestly, “I survive by sucking blood.”

Cao’er’s eyes widen. She tugs on her mother’s clothes and says, “Mother! She’s a leech demon!”

Cao’er’s mother looks at Sarah’s pale face and just can’t connect the ghastly white girl with a pitch-black leech.

But she still forces herself to stay calm and says, “Anything can be considered a monster these days, huh.”

Even the most imaginative storytellers have never come up with a tale of a leech becoming a demon!

If anything can become a monster, bugs shouldn’t make the cut.

Cao’er’s mother isn’t too worried about Sarah sucking her blood—after all, they’re in the Immortal’s cave dwelling.

No matter how powerful a monster is, here they have to go vegetarian!

What’s so scary about vegetarian monsters?

“You, go to the storeroom and tell them,” Cao’er’s mother says now that her fear has passed, putting on an air of authority.

She completely forgets that just moments ago, she was so scared her legs gave out.

She speaks seriously, “All that screaming and panicking—what does that look like? Afraid of monsters in the Immortal’s domain?”

Cao’er nods. “That’s right! I’ll go tell them!”

***

When Ye Zhou gets up, he sees that Sarah has already seamlessly integrated into the group, eating with the employees.

In front of Sarah is a plate of blood sausage — and she’s eating it with great enthusiasm.

As Ye Zhou gets closer, he overhears their conversation.

“You actually have a family?!” the women exclaim in surprise.

It must be hard for a leech to become a demon, right? And do leeches even have parents?

Sarah, staring at a piece of blood sausage, curls her lip and says, “They’re not good people. I’m the youngest and weakest, so none of them take me seriously. One day, I’ll show them what I’m capable of. They’ll regret it and cry in front of me.” Thinking of that scene, Sarah can’t help but laugh.

The women chuckle and say, “You’re a girl! Why are you so competitive?”

“You’ll never get married with that kind of temper!”

“That’s right! In our village, girls with bad tempers rarely have matchmakers show up at their door once they reach a certain age.”

But they quickly shift topics. “Once you’re married, that’s fine.”

“After marriage, you should be fierce! Otherwise, you’ll get bullied.”

“But while you’re still a girl, you have to act gentle — even if you’re just pretending.”

Sarah asks curiously, “Marriage? Why do I need to get married?”

The women don’t understand the question. “If you don’t get married, how can your family keep supporting you?”

Sarah takes another bite of blood sausage. “I can support myself.”

The women are shocked, but soon calm down. “Well, you’re a monster, after all!”

“We can’t do that. Even if we go out to work as maids for a wealthy family, we still need a man to guarantee us!”

“If there’s no man, the family property and land will be taken away by the clan, and we won’t even have enough to eat.”

Sarah finally understands. “You can’t own property?”

The women exchange glances and all laugh. “That’s why they say ‘obey your father at home, your husband after marriage,’ right?”

Sarah nods. “Because you’re the property of your father or husband?”

The women can’t laugh anymore.

Sarah continues, “I heard that humans are like this. Where I come from, men can exchange their wives for transactions.”

Although Ye Zhou wants to keep listening, the employees have already noticed him.

“Lord Immortal!” the employees quickly stand up and bow to Ye Zhou.

Ye Zhou: “…”

Ahhhhhhh! Dear heavens! Just take me now!

Before Sarah and Zou Ming arrived, the employees always called him “Lord Immortal” and bowed to him.

But now, being called Lord Immortal in front of Sarah and Zou Ming — he just wants to crawl into a hole and disappear.

What do they think of him now?

Do they think he has some special hobbies?

What do they think of him in their hearts?

Do they think he’s a pervert?

Ye Zhou can’t bear to look at Sarah and Zou Ming’s expressions. His body stiffens, and he speaks like a robot, following a pre-programmed response. “No need to bow.”

The female employees awkwardly stand back up.

Ye Zhou adds, “…You can sit down and continue eating.”

The employees look at each other. No one dares to sit. They instinctively glance at Sarah, who is still sitting at the table.

Ah, this monster is so young and unruly. She doesn’t even know how to bow to the Lord Immortal.

They don’t notice Ye Zhou’s pale face. He feels like his soul has left his body — he is, essentially, dead.

Author’s note:

Ye Zhou: “Don’t stop me! Let me find a hole and crawl into it!”

Everyone: “……”

Ye Zhou (turns back): “You guys seriously aren’t going to stop me?”